Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Orlando Magic 7:00 2/22/2018 [Game #60]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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(23-36) -- (18-39)

VenueTVTIME
Amway Center, Orlando, FLMSG7:00 PM EST


Probable starters:


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Injury Report

New York KnicksOrlando Magic
Ron Baker - Right Shoulder Injury (OUT)Aaron Gordon ? Strained left hip flexor (PROB)
Kristaps Porzingis - Torn Left ACL (OUT)Demetrius Jackson - Left adductor strain (OUT)
Joakim Noah - Personal Reason (NWT)Terrence Ross ? Sprained right MCL, non-displaced fracture of right tibial plateau (OUT)
-Nikola Vučević ? Fractured second metacarpal, left hand (PROB)

Game Preview

The Orlando Magic are getting a dose of good news while the last three weeks have been nothing but bad news for the New York Knicks.

The Magic are expected to get Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic back from injuries Thursday when they host the Knicks, who are trying to stop an eight-game losing streak.

Gordon is returning after missing nine games because of a hip flexor injury after missing time earlier in the season because of a calf injury and a concussion.

Vucevic is coming back from missing nearly two months because of a broken bone in his left hand.

Orlando (18-39) went 4-5 in Gordon's absence with four defeats by single digits and a stirring comeback victory from 21 points down against Cleveland on Feb. 6.

The Magic are 5-13 in the 18 games Gordon has missed.

Gordon leads the team in scoring at 18.4 points per game. He is shooting 44.7 percent after shooting 32.8 percent in his last seven games following a 30-point showing against Cleveland on Jan. 6.

The Magic were 7-16 without Vucevic and most of the losses piled up early in his absence. The Magic dropped eight of the first nine games without him, but since Jan. 12, they are 6-8.

Vucevic is third on the team at 17.4 points per game and leads the team in rebounding with 9.3. Before getting hurt, he was averaging 22.1 points and 13 rebounds in his previous eight games.

Instead of going on vacation during the All-Star break, Vucevic continued working out to improve his conditioning.

"I felt like it was much easier for me to stay here and get the work done in our gym with everything available," he told reporters following practice Monday.

"I did some work every day but (Monday), which was my day off. It was good for me to do some conditioning and shooting, so I'm in better shape and I'll use (the two practices) and then be back Thursday to play."

Without Gordon and Vucevic, Mario Hezonja received ample playing time. Hezonja averaged 16.8 points while playing 25 to 35 minutes in Gordon's absence.

Although Orlando headed into the All-Star break with a three-game losing streak following a 104-102 loss to Charlotte on Feb. 14, Hezonja scored at least 20 points for the third straight game.

"People step up and Mario is playing great and hopefully he can keep that up," Gordon told reporters.

Orlando beat the Knicks twice earlier this season when New York was at or above .500. The Knicks (23-36) are 12-25 since a 105-100 loss to the Magic in New York on Dec. 3 when Tim Hardaway Jr. injured his leg.

Since getting to 17-14 with a victory over the Boston Celtics on Dec. 21, the Knicks are 6-22. They enter Thursday on their sixth losing streak of at least eight games since the start of the 2013-14 season.

New York's skid continued when it blew a 27-point lead in a 118-113 home loss to the Washington Wizards on Feb. 14. Hardaway scored 32 of his 37 points in the first half, while Enes Kanter totaled 24 and 14 and Michael Beasley finished 16.

That trio will comprise New York's starting frontcourt since Kristaps Porzingis is recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee, though Beasley missed practice with a right ear infection and might sit out Thursday.

The starting backcourt will be different, with veteran Jarrett Jack going to the bench while the Knicks see how young guards Frank Ntilikina, Emanuel Mudiay, and Trey Burke perform with increased minutes.

"Just giving the young guys some more chances," New York coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters at practice Tuesday. "We might win with those guys. So, we'll throw them out there and they'll take their lumps probably at times, but you got to get through that, you got to battle through that, learn and build up the consistency."

Ntilikina averaged 5.2 points and 3.2 assists while playing 20.1 minutes in his first 56 NBA games, Burke is averaging 7.4 points on 54.1 percent shooting in 13 games since joining the Knicks last month, and Mudiay scored 29 points in his first three games after being acquired from Denver on Feb. 8.

(CBSSports / STATS)
 

rady

Administrator
Staff member
It's been 7 straight days since the Knicks haven't lost one, let's get this party started!
 
Thanks for the great game thread, Rady.

Rumored that Mudiay is starting. Trying to keep an open mind. I?ll believe it when I see it as far as Ntilikina and Burke getting more minutes.
 

Mike1989

Rookie
First post. Thanks for getting my account sorted Rady, I can?t reply to the pm so I thought I?d let you know here! :cool:

As for the game it?s about time someone other than Jack gets to start at PG. It says a lot about Ntilikina when Mudiay gets the nod but hopefully he uses it as motivation to take the job from Mudiay. I?m not convinced about Mudiay long term since he flamed out in Denver but this is his chance at redemption and good luck to him. If he takes it we might have found our next PG. If he doesn?t we haven?t really lost anything,

Apparently Orlando are starting Gordon and Vucevic and they?ll have minute restrictions. I think this actually helps our chances for winning this game because they?ve been playing better without those two in their line up by moving the ball and shooting better. Generally they slow down and don?t move the ball as well with these two in the line up, but we?ll see how it goes tonight.

With that said, I?m looking forward to seeing positive basketball played, though ideally Orlando sneak the win at the end. I hate to say it but at this point we need the losses more than the wins to boost those lottery odds, but let?s try and do that while giving the young players good minutes.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Mudiay and Nits might not be the best backcourt to put out there. Mudiay and THJ are the better pair but the Knicks should have different goals after the break than to put their best team on the floor to win games.

I want to see a heavy dose of Ntilikina at PG or SG, he ain't better than Mudiay who has way more experience but Horn should play him as many or more minutes than Mudiay, lets see if Nits can swim and improve over what he did before the beeak.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Nice Game-Thread Rady ..


Two teams (Knicks n Magic) battling for a top lottery pick in June ..*
How do u coach your team to lose to a loser?*
What team should lead in scoring fast break points? dimes? Rebounds? 2nd chance shots? And a better percentage in 3 ball shots?*
I Don't expect any defense played in this game*!!!

SMH .. Dolan n the front-office want the Knicks to land a top lottery pick in June.
The Knicks NO-DEFENSE coaching plus poor offensive plan has had the Knicks TANKING to land a top lottery pick in June.*
There's no reason to change the course of the Knicks tanking season now .. by letting the knicks young players change the strategy by playing defense to win games. SMH
 
First post. Thanks for getting my account sorted Rady, I can?t reply to the pm so I thought I?d let you know here! :cool:

As for the game it?s about time someone other than Jack gets to start at PG. It says a lot about Ntilikina when Mudiay gets the nod but hopefully he uses it as motivation to take the job from Mudiay. I?m not convinced about Mudiay long term since he flamed out in Denver but this is his chance at redemption and good luck to him. If he takes it we might have found our next PG. If he doesn?t we haven?t really lost anything,

Apparently Orlando are starting Gordon and Vucevic and they?ll have minute restrictions. I think this actually helps our chances for winning this game because they?ve been playing better without those two in their line up by moving the ball and shooting better. Generally they slow down and don?t move the ball as well with these two in the line up, but we?ll see how it goes tonight.

With that said, I?m looking forward to seeing positive basketball played, though ideally Orlando sneak the win at the end. I hate to say it but at this point we need the losses more than the wins to boost those lottery odds, but let?s try and do that while giving the young players good minutes.

Welcome to KOL. I agree with a lot of what you said above. Minutes to the young guys and preserve the tank. So simple, maybe Hornacek can handle it.
 
New starting lineup of Mudiay, Lee, THJ, Beasley, and Kanter not bringing much defense so far. We?ve allowed 14 points in 3 and a half minutes.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Mudiay and Nits might not be the best backcourt to put out there. Mudiay and THJ are the better pair but the Knicks should have different goals after the break than to put their best team on the floor to win games.

I want to see a heavy dose of Ntilikina at PG or SG, he ain't better than Mudiay who has way more experience but Horn should play him as many or more minutes than Mudiay, lets see if Nits can swim and improve over what he did before the beeak.

A wise experience developing headcoach would have had the young 19 yr old 6.6 rookie Ntilikina performing as a point-forward in the rotation.
Ntilikina' s length n athleticism should have been performing at multi-position throughout the season in the Knicks rotation.
Horn is not going to mess up a good TANKING season by putting a winning lineup on the court for a long length of time.
It would be nice to see Mudiay n Ntilikina bond in a lineup together for 6 minute of each quarter the rest of the season.
The way THJ been performing I would put THJ on the season injury list with Baker n KP n Noah.
 
Here we go. Ntilikina checks into the game with a little less than 5 minutes to go in the 1st quarter. Mudiay still in the game.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Mudiays passing needs work. Saw two passes he made that he had no pressure and he sailed them to the shooter, he's now 1-5 from the floor. There's a reason the Nugs gave up on him besides Jamal.
 
We trail 41 - 31 after the 1st quarter. Those All-Star break practices really paid off. That?s some real garbage basketball we just played. Hornacek yelling at the team like he?s furious with them. Hey, Hornacek, it?s your fault too.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Magic have 47 pts with 10 mins left in the half. I'd be surprised if Horn doesn't have greyhair with this team after the season.
 
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